FUNDRAISERS were left ‘heartbroken’ after a charity website was put at the centre of an investigation into £250,000 of allegedly missing donations.

The Charity Commission froze the activities of Charity Giving, an online donation portal owned by the Dove Trust, after ‘serious concerns about administration mismanagement by the charity’s trustees and risks to charity funds’.

It is the first time the Commission, whose concerns were increased by the organisation’s failure to submit any accounts since April 2009, has suspended a site.

Charity portals processes payments and forwards them to charities after deducting charges.

People from East Lancashire, who used the site, said they did not know if donations had been transferred.

All donations after July 12 have been returned to bank accounts but it is uncertain if money found to have gone astray before that date can be reclaimed.

Accrington fundraiser Kelly Rosbotham set up a page to raise money for Holly House, a centre for children with special needs, said she, believed £1,857 could be at risk. She added: “I’m disgusted that this organisation failed to act responsibly. It seems we could have been deceived.”

Emma McNally, one of five team members on the Darwen Tower to Eiffel Tower bike ride, to help Blackburn With Darwen Carers and Blackburn Food Bank said: “I was heartbroken when I heard the news.

Tallulah Perez, a of the Charity Commission said: “This was done as a last resort to locate a £250,000 shortfall.”

A Dove Trust spokesman said they were unable to comment as investigations were ongoing.

Comments (5)

I can't believe that the Charity Commission allowed them to continue operating, despite their having submitted no accounts since 2009!

If this had been a limited company they would have been struck off ages ago.

I hope the CC will consider compensating the various charities that trusted them to perform the duties they are paid to carry out.

I can't believe that the Charity Commission allowed them to continue operating, despite their having submitted no accounts since 2009!
If this had been a limited company they would have been struck off ages ago.
I hope the CC will consider compensating the various charities that trusted them to perform the duties they are paid to carry out.Legal Beagle

If you check on a charity on the CC website it includes details of overdue accounts and returns by number of days overdue. This information is available so the CC should be generating automatic letters at 90 days and written warnings to charities who are more than 180 days over due and suspending them at 356 days.
It is also time that funders such as the BIG Lottery did a check and refused grants to charities with overdue returns. It should be part of the criteria for being awarded a grant. If a charity is not submitting returns on time how can a funder be certain that the charity will do proper monitoring and evaluation and account for the money awarded?

If you check on a charity on the CC website it includes details of overdue accounts and returns by number of days overdue. This information is available so the CC should be generating automatic letters at 90 days and written warnings to charities who are more than 180 days over due and suspending them at 356 days.
It is also time that funders such as the BIG Lottery did a check and refused grants to charities with overdue returns. It should be part of the criteria for being awarded a grant. If a charity is not submitting returns on time how can a funder be certain that the charity will do proper monitoring and evaluation and account for the money awarded?BabsInArrod

And as for a free holiday, the Tower team have paid for ALL costs THEMSELVES which includes all travel costs and everything associated with the event which enables every penny raised to be split between the two charities they are fundraising for. If anyone wishes to donate through a more reputable site please visit:

https://mydonate.bt.
com/fundraisers/towe
rtotowertour

Charity is not a con, it's the charities that are being conned.
And as for a free holiday, the Tower team have paid for ALL costs THEMSELVES which includes all travel costs and everything associated with the event which enables every penny raised to be split between the two charities they are fundraising for. If anyone wishes to donate through a more reputable site please visit:
https://mydonate.bt.
com/fundraisers/towe
rtotowertourmroliver2